Naive
by dagger94
Summary: "Something's wrong, but I choose to be naive." A look into Betty and Archie's friendship, Betty's mental illness, and their relationships. [Barchie]
1. Chapter 1

"So, you're telling me you and Archie kissed?" Kevin lowers his voice at the last syllable, trying to avoid anyone overhearing but failing to hide his shock and amusement.

Betty bites her lip tentatively and nods her head slightly, "yeah, but we haven't talked about it, and maybe it's for the best if we never do…" she pulls up the sleeves of sweater, averting Kevin's gaze.

Kevin shakes his head, "Ok, but is this some sort of rebound kiss because of Jughead or...do you still…"

"No no" Betty interjects quickly, "all of that is over, and it has been for a long time. It was just in the moment and I don't know, I just...kind of lost all sense of reality maybe?"

"I mean, yeah I get that...but do you think you're ever going to talk to Veronica about it? Her and Archie are back to making out on every surface of this school you know…" Kevin raises his eyebrow as Betty shrugs her shoulders, "I don't know if it's even something I should bring up or even if it's my place to...I mean they were broken up at that time and…"

Betty stands up suddenly and crosses her arms, "you know what, it doesn't matter because it didn't mean anything, that night was just out of control…"

"Betts you might want to lower your voice because…" Kevin points at the door with a an awkward glance and Betty sees Archie and Veronica, liplocked, waltzing into the room. It seems to be their preferred entrance of sorts, their giggles announcing their arrival ceremoniously, their hands grasping at each bit of skin within reach. Hardly acceptable school behavior, she's thought before, but she never felt like she was in the position to preach about acceptable school behavior. They were her best friends and they were crazy about each other and she was happy for them. They break their kiss and look over at Betty and Kevin. Arch looks awkward as he mumbles, "hey Betty, Kevin" but Veronica looks a bit off. She stares intensely at Betty for a few seconds and drops her gaze.

"So what is everyone talking about?" she chimes in a loud and high voice, sitting next to Kevin.

"Nothing in particular!" Kevin says sitting up a little straighter and smiling broadly. "Just that the new southsiders have really been stirring up the place, haven't they Betts?"

"Mm? Ah, yeah, it's been interesting having so many new student's around.." Betty says, glancing quickly at Archie who looks away.

"Yeah, I bet it's interesting having Jughead around isn't it Betty?" Veronica crosses her legs and smiles sweetly at Betty, but again something feels off. Her eyes feel piercing, Betty notices, her smile a little too sweet for comfort, like poisoned honey.

"No, I mean...yes...I mean...I'm glad he's back and…" Betty tries her hardest not to glance over at Archie, but instead focuses her attention on Veronica's eyes.

"She knows…" Betty thinks to herself as Veronica stands up and picks up her bag, "Well have fun figuring that out, and if you excuse me, Archikins and moi have things to do to make sure our new peers are enjoying their first week at Riverdale High" She holds Betty's gaze for a second, but it feels like an eternity. "See you, Veronica…" she finally gets out as she breaks eye contact.

Archie looks over at Betty for a moment, but says nothing as Veronica pulls his hand out the door and into the hallway.

Kevin lets out a deep breath "Oh sweet Jesus, if the atmosphere back then wasn't any denser, I'd say Archie has let our princess know about that kiss.."

"No, you don't think...she knows?" Betty says hurriedly as she gathers her things,

"...mmm. I'd bet on a dying horse that she definitely know what's up."

"Oh my God I should go talk to her…." Betty says as she rushes out the door, looking to see if she can spot Veronica's raven hair and petite figure amongst all the bodies around her.

She could be in class, but she said she need to plan so maybe she's using one of the student rooms on the 3rd floor?- Betty thinks to herself as she climbs the stairs and surveys the hallways. She finally spots her, halfway to her locker, hand in hand with Archie.

"Hey Veronica!" She calls out as she runs down towards them.

"Betty? Can I help you?" Veronica says coldly.

"Um…." How do you start a conversation like this, Betty thinks in a panic, trying to be careful with her words, trying to remain calm. She suddenly notices Archie there, looking confused and concerned. They haven't talked properly since the night they discovered Mr. Svenson was the Black Hood, haven't talked about the way Archie was almost buried alive, or about what they discovered at Nana's house, or even what happened in the car. When they…

"Betty? Are you alright?" Archie says but suddenly Betty finds some words and says,

"Sorry, yeah, Veronica, can I talk to you...for a second...alone? Or if you are busy, we can catch some milkshakes at Pop's later tonight?"

She hears Veronica sigh, "If you need to tell me something then maybe you should tell me right now...it seems that it's pretty important to you if you came running down the hall like that just to find me." Veronica crosses her arms and shifts the weight on one of her tall and slick heels.

"Archie, can you give us a minute?" Veronica asks Archie softly as he still looks over Betty who looks away, focusing her attention on Veronica.

"Okay Ronnie, I'll text you later. Betty." He nods over at Betty and makes to leave,

"Archkins, wait!" Veronica suddenly stops him, pulling him in for a kiss. Betty takes in a breath, but waits it out, until the echo of their kiss fades away from her.

"I'm crazy about you Archie.." Veronica says as she caresses his face.

"Yeah...me too Veronica…" he takes her hands and kisses it softly. He only glances at Betty for a short second and leaves.

"So, what can be so heavy on the conscious of Betty Cooper that she runs after in me with the look of a sinner about to confess their sins to the pope...hmmm?" Veronica looks at Betty coldly and Betty tries to swallow her feelings of apprehension and tries to steady her voice as she starts her sentence with "Veronica, you know I feel like we haven't talked in forever lately, so much has been going on and…"

"Oh cut out the formalities, and just get on with it Betty. You and Archie kissed. That's what you ran over here to tell me, or am I wrong?"

Betty winced and put her hands up in defense.

"Veronica, I can, explain." she began quickly but was cut of my Veronica, who spoke in a straight voice. Brisk and clear, no pauses.

"No need to. Archie told me everything. He told me it was a crazy night and that you were losing your shit, and you kissed him. No I get it. He made it very clear to me that it meant nothing to him. And I trust him…" she pauses deliberately, as if to make her next words clear and understood, "Because he loves me. And I love him. But I can't say I really trust you Betty...given your record these last few months."

"Veronica, will you just let me explain to you, what's been going on. Your my best friend, and trust me, there is so much.." Betty tries to interject but she is cut off again by Veronica.

"Best friend, Betty? Is that why you kissed Archie? We were only broken up for a day or so. And you were only broken up with Jug for that long. How can I trust you? You say you're past Archie and then you do something like this?"

"I don't feel anything for Archie, V. We're friends and that kiss…" Betty was trying to find the words to explain but she felt an overwhelming amount of anxiety come across her. Her throat tightened and she was freezing in that moment,

"Well, I don't want to know what that kiss meant to you. All I know is that if you're my best friend as you say, then you'll leave Archie well enough alone for awhile."

Tears started floating out of her eyes as she looked down at her shoes, anything to not look at Veronica as Veronica also looked away, obviously exasperated.

"And I'm not just saying this because you kissed Archie, Betty. It's just, you're all over the place, lately. You just broke up with Jughead and maybe it was for the best after hearing about that debacle you caused at his dad's party. Really, Betty? Stripping in front of middle aged men, for what? To join a gang?."

"How do you even know about that?" Betty says, starting to feel a fire inside of her, "you don't know what was really going on…"

"How can I Betty? Lately you've been going into dark corners, meddling into everyone business, having this weird dark relationship with a serial killer when you should have just gone to the cops. Betty, are you following? Even at the party, when you went all psycho Betty on me without even telling me what was going on. You don't even communicate with me anymore. And you've been dragging Archie into things that he doesn't deserve to be dragged into."

Betty closes her eyes for a minute and breathes out, "I know but.."

"I can't believe you want to justify putting Archie in danger like you did because you wouldn't just call the police. He was almost buried alive, Betty. Archie, who is honestly too good for all this and has been through enough already. You're taking advantage of his goodness, and I don't want him to get hurt. I've been fighting tooth and nail for our relationship to work, for him to help his Dad, for him to be happy. I don't want you pulling him into any more danger, or using him to resolve your problems with Jughead."

Veronica stops as she notices Betty shaking, trying to stifle in sobs.

"Obviously I'm not saying you can't be friends with him, but for a while just let him breathe. If you care about him as much as you say you do, if you care about me… then just stay out of our lives a little while until you fix what you need to fix."

Without waiting for Betty to answer, Veronica turns the other way, wiping a small tear from her eye. But Betty doesn't notice this. She walks away briskly and Betty can only hear the sound of her heels trotting away.

* * *

She closes her eyes as she curls her knees towards her chest. Maybe Veronica is right, she thinks as familiar pangs hit her chest and her heartbeat accelerates. Maybe I am a bad person... and that's why Archie never loved me, and maybe why Jughead pushed me away. Maybe why Polly doesn't want to be a part of this family anymore, why...why…the Black Hood wanted me to join him, because I'm just not good. Not good for anyone or anything...

She buries her face in her hands, breathing in slowly, feeling the waves of anxiety crash into her, relentlessly without holding anything back. She tries to breathe in once again but can only manage a shivering sob.

She's in her room, and the lights are off. Everyone has gone to bed. She pulled down the curtains to avoid Archie peering in but she noticed his light were off as well. Maybe he does need some space from her.

I need some space for me. She thought as she bit her finger tips trying to stifle her sobs, to quietly take in her hurt.

Why did she kiss Archie? In that moment, what was going through her head? Why did she lean in and why did she let adrenaline take over her senses? In that moment, why did her mind go blank as she met his lips? Why couldn't she come to her senses when he kissed her back. He did kiss her back right? Was it just her, in her manipulative ways pulling him into her darkness or did he really meet her halfway?

She tried to bring herself back to that moment. When he was holding her hand, when he was saying that he needed her, needed Betty Cooper, and how everything was going to go back to the way it was. But as soon as she leans in, that's when all rational thought leaves her body. It's only soft lips, and steady hands, and a scent that smells like wet grass. Archie's sent. Then it was over. There was nothing in that moment, for either of them, she repeats to herself. I'm sure that's what Archie thinks.

Even if she was broken with Juggie, Archie and Veronica they were back together, more crazy and more in love than before. So what was the point?... of overthinking what it all meant?

I should just lay low for a while, she finally concludes as she wipes the tears from her eyes, and takes one last deep breath.

At that moment, her phone rings beneath her covers.

She pauses a second and examines the screen.

Arch. She whispers softly.

"Hey. Betty, can we talk? I could call. Or I could walk you to school?. Let me know."

She subconsciously hovers her finger over his name. If she doesn't respond he'll start to insist. He's just that type of person.

"I think I'll be out tomorrow." She starts to type out but deletes it completely.

She turns off her phone. But maybe it's best if she doesn't respond, there is so much to take care of right now. She'll stay low. And Veronica will keep him busy I'm sure, Betty reassures herself.

She moves over to the curtains and gently brushes them aside. Archie's blinds are still shut. She closes them again and then closes her eyes. She places her fingers on her lips for a second, her eyes still closed. She doesn't see anything behind her eyelids, but when she places a hand on her chest she can feel the gentle beating of her heart beneath her fingertips.


	2. Chapter 2

"Sometimes I think, you're all light and I'm all dark."

"What?"

"...like, like if you were a feather, then I would be a really heavy stone and I don't know, maybe I'd be in the bottom of the ocean somewhere."

"What are you talking about Betty?" Archie said with a smirk. They were lying down on the grass outside Archie's backyard. For her 14th birthday Betty got one of those built it yourself telescopes and as soon as all the guests went home from the party, Betty and Archie ran across the street and started fumbling with all the bolts and dials, plopping on the wet grass. Archie's dad had just mowed the lawn, so the grass smelled fresh and felt good against their skin. It was a warm night, and they took turns looking into the telescope, frustrated that they couldn't see much, just faint lights in the distance against heavy clouds and darkness.

They gave up and rolled on their backs, looking up at the night sky trying to take in what they could see with their bare eyes and feel what they could feel with their young hearts.

"I don't know what I'm saying...just feeling a little small I guess. Just look Arch, look at how much there is out there" She pointed to the sky with all her fingers outstretched, as if trying to grasp whatever she could.

"There is a lot." Archie said questionably.

He paused for a moment. "Hey, do you want to come out to the river tomorrow? Dad's taking me fishing in the morning. It be nice to have someone else around too and not just my dad." he said as he picked at some grass nearby.

"Fishing? Did you ask Jughead?" Betty said with a small laugh.

"Yeah, but he said fishing sounded like a waste of time when you could just buy fish at the market. It's not about the fishing though! It's about the quality time! Ahaha"

"I'm gonna have to pass Arch, but thanks"

"You guys suck"

Betty sat up and stretched her arms. "Never change Archie Andrews." she said looking down at Archie who was still lying on his back. She placed a hand on his forehead and he wrinkled his nose up but didn't pull away. "Always stay good and true." Archie furrowed his eyebrows and pulled away, "you're so weird Betts"

Betty smiled, "yeah I guess so…" she folded her arms around her knees and looked up at the sky again.

"But I'll give you a pass because it's your birthday!" Archie sat up, and looked into the telescope.

"Wait! I can see Orion!"

"Move over! Let me see!" Betty took the telescope from Archie and Archie looked over at his friend. It was her birthday today. She was smart and capable, grounded and funny. Half of the things she said always flew over his head. He was never quite sure why she wouldn't just ditch him and hang out with smarter people.

"Hey Betts?"

"Hmm?" She looked over at him, her eyes bright.

"I hope you never change." he said eagerly. He looked at her intently to try and convey how serious he was, but felt silly since his voice cracked and he was still a good 3 inches shorter than her.

She stood there in silence and then smiled slightly. "Oh Archie, you don't know what you're talking about." She laughed as he frowned, ears turning red.

There was a brief silence.

"It's getting cold. We should head back inside" Betty finally said.

They put away the telescope neatly in the box and headed back into Archie's house.

* * *

Being with Veronica was like playing with fire. She was sharp tongued and witty, playful and coy. Archie never felt like a little boy next to her, he felt like a man and she was his equal. She could put him in line when needed be but also allowed him to feel powerful and strong. He wanted to protect her but he also could be rest assured that she knew how to take care of herself. She spoke her mind, and it was never second guessing with Veronica. If she wanted something, she would say it, no matter the price. Their relationship kept him on his toes, new surprises waiting at every end.

She stood there half naked in his pjyamas, observing every corner of his room, passing her fingertips along his picture frames, smiling lightly when she saw a baby picture or a photo of him and his dad. She smiled at him occasionally and he smiled at her warmly, admiring every inch of exposable skin and curve.

He looked over at his phone for a second. "Still no message from Betty" he thought briefly. Archie let out a worried sigh and rubbed his palm against his neck.

"Archikins what's wrong?" Veronica asked suddenly as she wrapped her hands around his neck, "you look worried, what's on your mind?" She stroked his chin softly and he gave her a small smile in return.

"It's nothing...just...I haven't heard from Betty in a while, so I'm worried."

"Oh…" Veronica furrowed her eyebrows. "well I'm sure she's just busy is all. I heard from Kevin that her family has been pretty busy after taking in their long lost adoption baby. And to be fair, Betty's family needs to work out through quite a lot of stuff right now"

She caressed his eyebrows as Archie stared down at her intensely. "She needs some time. That's all. And I think having some time to reflect about everything that's been going down on her own, is going to do her a lot of good. You can't keep trying to save her from everything, you need to try and focus on your happiness." She started planting butterfly kisses on his neck, moving her hand alongside his thigh. "And Archie, is it so wrong if I want you to focus on me for a little?" Veronica bit her lip as he picked her up and placed her on his lap.

"Of course not. And maybe you're right, I should give her some space." Archie took a deep breath and tried to smile, although something felt off in the pit of his stomach. Veronica sensed his discomfort and let out a deep sigh as well, getting off his lap and moving over to the window. She had closed the shutters shut beforehand and glanced briefly through them with a finger, noticing Betty's shutters were closed too. She looked down at Archie's bedside and noticed a framed picture of Betty and him. They looked like they were outside, playing with a telescope. They looked so young.

"Hey Archie? If I gave you a picture of us, would you frame it up and put it in here too?"

"Yeah, sure Ronnie." He seemed a little thrown off by the question.

"I mean, this room is filled pictures of your dad, your mom, Jughead and...Betty, so maybe I could join these ranks sometime?" She paused briefly and then smiled coyly, "But of course if you'd like to keep some pictures of me private for your alone time, then by all means, that is fine by me."

Archie laughed "Ok, I promise next time you're in this room, you will find your picture right by my bedside"

Veronica smiled. "Thanks babe."

She walked over to him again, and planted a kiss on his lips, while the other hand reached over to the lights.

* * *

Veronica was asleep. Archie looked over at his bedside and saw that Veronica had overturned the picture of him and Betty when they were 14, right after Betty's birthday party. He sighed.

He knew she wouldn't be entirely okay with the whole kiss situation. He couldn't blame her. From the start she seemed to be insecure towards Betty, asking timidly if there was ever a time that he loved Betty...like that. Because of course he loved Betty. She was Betty, Betts, B, ever since the 2nd grade. Blonde haired ponytail bouncing as they rode their bikes down the street, green eyes over milkshakes and math textbooks, midnight calls when she wasn't feeling too well and she had caught the flu.

" _I'm afraid I have the flu Arch, but worse yet, I'm afraid my heart has caught something too"_

The next day, he had knocked on her door and left some chicken noodle soup for her and a cassette tape of Golden Slumbers by the Beatles, a song she had cried to when they heard it playing at a bookstore down North Ave. She proclaimed, "This song can cure the most broken of hearts!" And you could tell she felt it in the very core of her soul.

Archie could never tell what was up with Betty. She had a strange way about her growing up, but she always carried herself with sophistication and an overzealous need to excel in everything. It was hard to keep up with her sometimes. She even seemed frustrated with him for not knowing the plot to MacBeth when she had invited him to the local theater groups rendition of it at city hall. "Archie Andrews do you ever do anything but fish and play football with you dad? You're so annoying!"

But then at other times, she seemed so lost in her thoughts, all over the place and maybe even a bit messy, but those times were far and wide in between. She's say, "I envy your heart, Archie. It's so wide and big, the possibilities are endless for you."

She really was a perfect girl. Smart, beautiful, capable. Always knew what to say.

And Archie still didn't know if he was ever truly a good friend to her. She was always there, right by his side and yet he had already broken her heart once, even though time and time again he had promised himself to always protect her.

He hated to admit to himself that he was sort of glad that Jughead was able to bring Betty out of that hurt. There was a part of him that was angry that it wasn't him that could have helped her get over the pain he had caused her. But of course, he also wondered what it would it have been like if Bughead had never jumped into the equation, if Betts had just had to deal with him and Veronica being together on her own. When would she have been okay with it, how long would it have taken? And what could he ever say to make it up to her?

 _"I'm so sorry I couldn't take care of your heart Betty, even when you trusted me with it, our whole lives. But I want to find you someone, someone who can really take care of it like it deserves, and know that I'll knock him down 10 stories if he ever hurts you"_

He couldn't quite remember when it was that he stopped believing, or even desiring that him and Betty would be together forever. Up to about the 5th grade, he believed that someday they would grow up and get married. He didn't know if it was because she was always there and a comforting force in his life, or if it was because he was too young to understand what love actually felt like.

Or maybe it was the realization that maybe he wouldn't ever be enough for and graceful Betty Cooper, with the wit to challenge a poet and the heart to love deeply and tenderly. He would only hold her back.

Sometimes he felt like he couldn't take care of her. And this was something they rarely brought up. Betty was a force to be reckoned with. Without warning she would get so angry, throw things against the walls and scream. She sometimes would start crying out of nowhere, curled up into a little ball in the corner of his room and say scary things, like "Arch, I feel like I'm drowning and I don't think I have enough energy to fight back."

And all he could do was hold her tightly until an adult could come and take her away, or her mom came to pick her up. After a while the episodes stopped but Archie never knew if Betty was getting help for something he didn't quite understand and couldn't quite help with so he never brought it up. Not if Betty didn't want to talk about it. He was useless to her then, and maybe he was useless to her now.

As much as he was trying to suppress it, he couldn't help but think back to the kiss inside the car. It all happened so fast.

It was hardly the their first kiss, he thought, but he wasn't sure if kissing through ages 5-8 really counted. He smiled at the thought. They would kiss hello and they would kiss goodbye. They would kiss for thanks yous, and when they asked for favors. All the adults thought it was adorable, but at a certain age they eventually stopped, realizing that what kissing actually meant and finally coming to terms with the fact that they were changing and that everything would continue to change from then on.

Betty was scared in that moment, he could tell by the way she gripped his hands and how sweaty they were. And somehow they must have felt, both of them, that they were little kids again. That this was something that they had to face in the big bad world, and that they only had each other. Maybe it was a reassurance, a promise, or a reminder that they had made it through it back then and that they would make it through right now. Betty did lean in first, but he remembered vaguely staring at her lips for a while before then, trying to calm her down and trying to reassure her that he was there like he'd always been.

"Arch."

Betty's preferred moniker for him. It brought him back to a picnic at the river, him, Betts, and Jug.

"Arch." she had called out to him, smiling beneath her sunhat. He must of said something stupid.

Then their lips touching. She smells like lavender. She's always smelled like lavender.

When he closed his eyes, all he saw were pink lights. Betty's green eyes, bright. In a booth at Pop's.

 _"When I think of where I'm safest Arch, it's us two, together in a booth at Pop's"_

 _"Me too."_

He turned over and looked at Veronica. He gently brushed her hair out of her face and planted a small kiss on her nose. It was naive to say it meant nothing, because of course it meant something. But he didn't know what it meant exactly. Maybe it was best if he just didn't overthink it too much. After all he was with Veronica and he loved her. That much was true. But… He tossed over on his side, rubbing his face with his palms, exhausted.

Finally he resolved to close his eyes. He would try calling Betty again in the morning.


	3. Chapter 3

He gripped the telephone as the line went dead. He hung up and dialed again. It rang for a moment and then fell into silence.

"Okay, so calling her cellphone is no good" Archie thought as he tried calling her house number instead.

"Hello? Alice speaking."

"Mrs. Cooper, good morning, it's Archie."

"Archie...haven't heard from you in a while. What is it?" her voice sounded curt and heavy. Mrs. Cooper was never really that fond of Archie, even as little kids.

"I was wondering if Betty was still home...and if I could come over and walk her to.."

"Oh no need. Betty left early this morning, you probably should be getting to school as well. Regards to your father, Archie." The line fell into silence.

Archie let out a long sigh. He had been trying to phone her all morning. "She must be going out of her way to avoid me", he thought as he swung his bag across his shoulder. Maybe if he hurried, he could still catch her before first period.

"I'm off dad! See you!"

"Have a good one son." Fred yelled out from the living room.

Archie took a deep breath and headed out.

* * *

Betty left early in the morning. She felt like it was too risky to leave at her usual time in case she ran into Archie on the way. She didn't like the idea that she was going out of her way to avoid him. They hardly ever got into fights, she couldn't remember the last time they went such a long period of time purposely not talking to each other. I mean, there was the time Archie let her down, but other than that they were always on speaking terms.

Wait, there was that time, Betty mused as she walked down the road absentmindedly.

They were in middle school, 8th grade was it? There was this school dance that marked the end of the year, the Maple Sweethearts Dance. It was Betty's first official dance. Her mother never let her go to any of the other ones because they fell too close to exam period. But this time Betty begged and begged until she relented. She remembered passing by a boutique on the way home. She had eyed a pink dress from the corner of her eye, something cute and simple. Betty had just turned 14 not too long ago before that and lately her mind was preoccupied with whether she was dressing well enough, whether others thought she was pretty, if Archie thought she was…

By then she had already come to realize that Archie made her feel certain ways. Mainly nervous and worried, but also somehow excited and really really good. She remembered how hot her belly felt when they would accidently touch, how her heart felt like it was going to burst out of her chest when he said her name. It was so weird and at first she was vehemently against it. "Ew, Betty, get a grip. Archie is just the little boy next door. Stop being gross."

But the more she thought of it, the more she noticed that he wasn't a little boy anymore and that she wasn't a little girl anymore either.

Betty was confident at that time that Archie was going to ask her to the dance. She couldn't imagine who else would? Or who else he would ask. Even when she couldn't go, he would ask her to go to all the other events with him, this felt like no exception.

She was more worried about what she was going to wear, what it would be like dancing with Archie, whether he would think she was...pretty.

So imagine her shock when, the next day, Archie confided in her that he was planning on asking Chloe Davis to the dance.  
"Chloe Davis?" Betty asked in disbelief.

"Mmm, yeah. She's really pretty and we have math together. Sometimes we meet in the library and she'll help me with my homework."

"oh...Arch, if you need help...I could always help you, ya know"

"I know, but you're already so busy. And Chloe, she's nice and she smells really good and…" Archie seemed uncomfortable as he was trying to explain it to her, but Betty was already blocking out anything he was saying to her.

"You know what Archie, whatever, ask whoever you want. It's none of my business."

She marched off, trying to hide her face from Archie because she was afraid he would be able to tell she was absolutely heartbroken.

She didn't talk to him for a week afterwards, even when he threw pebbles at her window and attempted to send messages via paper airplane. Betty kept her window closed so they all ended in the gutter.

"Betty, can we just talk? Why have you been acting so weird?" he'd accost her near her locker at school.

"Why do want to talk to me, when you can just talk to your new best friend, Chloe Davis?!" She dodged him whenever she could.

"Betty, what are you talking about. You are my best friend." Archie pleaded with her.

"Well, you're not mine anymore! This guy is!"" She pulled a random boy near her and glared at Archie, "What's your name?!" she demanded from him.

"ahhh...K..k..evin"

"Kevin's my new best friend Archie, so suck it."

"What?" she recalled them both saying in unison.

True to that, Kevin did become another good friend of hers because afterwards she openly shared her conundrum with him over some apologetic milkshakes.

"oh...I see. Well, if you'd like we could go to the dance together. Stick it him?" Kevin had offered.

"Don't you want to ask the girl you like to the dance?"

Kevin laughed. "Yeah, not really my thing. I'd love to help you out though!"

Poor Kevin, Betty thought now. From the very beginning he was there hearing about her Archie problems.

They had gone to the dance together, Kevin and her. She ended up wearing a blue dress she already had in her closet. Sure enough, Archie was there hand in hand with Chloe Davis. Betty remembered her blood boiling and a sort of indignation stir in the pits of her stomach. As Kevin went off to talk to some of his friends, Betty hung out by the side of the walls of the gym, hoping Archie wouldn't notice her look so alone and miserable. Because she did feel quite alone, and very much miserable.

She looked over at Chloe Davis. Chloe had long brown hair. She was tall and slender, and Betty couldn't help but notice how her hip swayed when she walked, looking more like a high schooler than a girl coming out of middle school. Betty was a late bloomer, she knew, but how behind she must be barely registered with her. She felt tears sting in her eyes and her throat felt scratchy. She thought she would go over to the punch bowl but she heard a voice behind her.

"Betts?"

"Archie, I don't want to talk to you." Betty said indignantly.

"You don't have to talk, if you don't want to...but do you want to dance...with me?" Betty remembered feeling angrier.

"I don't need your pity dance, I came here with Kevin."

"No, no, Betts I want to dance with you. Is that ok?" Archie looked embarrassed but his words were firm and gentle.

He took Betty's hand gently into his and smiled at her. His smile was still toothy. He was still a little boy but there was something very grown up about him in that moment. Betty's heart skipped a beat as he held her hand firmly, realizing that it's been years since he held her hand like this.

"What about Chloe?"

"She's off dancing with some off her friends. Betty this whole dance, it's no big deal ya know. I'm not actually sure why you were so mad at me. Me asking Chloe doesn't mean I found a new best friend or anything. Why would you even think that"

Betty frowned. So he thought she was just jealous because she felt her best friend status threatened. "It's not that...I…" Betty started to explain but Archie pulled her to the dance floor and started talking about that week...there was a lot to catch up on...but also promise me that you won't get so mad at me for small stuff anymore, he talked away seemingly relieved that they were on speaking terms again.

No matter how obvious things were between them, she felt like Archie always swept them under the rug. But she wasn't sure if he did that on purpose or if he lived in his own world where Betty would always be his best friend and where they would be next door neighbors forever.

They didn't dance to any slow songs together, she remembered her stomach drop when Archie left her side to slow dance with Chloe.

But in her mind, it's not Chloe. It's Veronica. And her and Archie are dancing, and Betty goes over to the wall again and watches them sway to the music. She looks down at her dress and feels the hem with her fingertips, touches her lips and her eyelashes and her neck and wonders what Archie sees. If even now...if he ever sees a woman, or if he only sees the young girl that has always been his friend and nothing more?

* * *

"Jughead! Hey! Can we talk a minute?" Archie walked over to Jughead who was, as he suspected, sitting in the back room of the library, typing away on his computer.

"Archie. Sure, sit down" Jughead pulled down his headphones and closed his computer.

"Feel like I haven't talked to you in ages, how are you feeling being back at Riverdale High?"

Jughead shook his head and massaged the back of his neck.

"I rather not. Especially when I know what all this means for the Southside. Archie, this town is in the brink of having a full on civil war and I intend to be on the right side of history." Jughead squeezed his knuckles, and looked over intensely at Archie.

"It's tense Jug, I get it. And I'm here if you need anything. You know that."

Jughead face softened as he leaned back on his chair. "I know Archie. Thanks."

"There is something I wanted to talk to you about though." Archie didn't know how to broach the subject. "Have, have you talked to Betty at all recently?"

Silence and then a long sigh.

"Only in passing. She says we're fine, but I can tell we're not" He shook his head solemnly and looked down at his hands before looking up at Archie. "Why?"

"If I'm honest, I'm worried about her, Jug." Archie noticed the way Jugheads features began to cloud with worry. 'I wonder if she told him. Or if she plans on telling him.' He thought to himself.

"She just seems off lately. She won't answer my phone calls."

"Ah. Well, her long lost brother just moved in with them. She probably has a lot on her plate." Jughead seemed more relaxed but the cloud of worry still lingered over him.

"I heard.", Archie said, "but I still worry."

Jughead crossed his arms and averted his gaze from Archie. Archie knew that Jughead was going through a tough time, that in the last year, so much in his life had changed. Betty had been good for him. A light in his darkness, and she had been able to light a candle somewhere in the shadows. Was that candle still lit? Or was it on the verge of being snuffed out?

"You know Archie. I worry about Betty too. I always worry about her and I have always worried about her." Jughead finally said in between pauses.

"Yeah, me too."

"No Archie it's different. I've loved Betty since we were children. When you didn't see her, I saw her. Even when she built walls around her and even if the only person who she let in was you" Archie fidgeted uncomfortably.

"I could tell she loved you. I could tell that you didn't or at least you pretended you didn't. And I wanted to be there for her. More than anything. You know when you finally told her what you felt, I didn't hesitate. It felt like my chance to be there for her, like I've always wanted to."

He smiled a small smile before continuing.

"But somehow in the pit of my stomach I always felt like I wasn't enough. Like I couldn't be there the way she deserves someone to be there for her. For a long time I didn't know why I felt like that. Maybe it was because I thought she was too perfect to ever think twice about being with me…" Jughead let the sentence trail off as he shrugged his shoulders.

"No, I get it Jug. All my life I felt like I could never do Betty justice. Like she deserved someone who didn't make her so upset all the time. Now that I think about it, I must have made her cry more times than I'd like to admit. Because I couldn't see...or maybe didn't want to see how she felt about me at that time." Archie tried to be careful with his words, but it felt good to get them out in the open. Even after Betty and Jughead started dating, they never brought out in the open how Betty used to feel about Archi. Archie never knew how Jughead felt about it.

"Yeah. Maybe we all wanted to see her as perfect because we were too afraid to admit that she wasn't. And that she needed, or needs, something that we can't give her." Jughead paused, "At least for me, not now. I was worried that putting her in my life has been aggravating her impulsive tendencies. Her anxiety and her depression. I mean she wanted to join the Serpents… "

"What did you say?!" Archie stomach lurched suddenly and he sent Jughead a glaring look.

Putting his hands up in defence, Jughead continued, "I know. But it's not just that Archie. Going after the Black Hood on her own, spying on Kevin's dad. Maybe I need to figure myself out first, before I can take care of her properly."

Archie relaxed and looked out the window for a second. It was a sunny day, clear skies and wet grass glistening in the sunlight. On days like this, when they were young , the three of them would fly kites in the air. They watched them soar out into the sky as Betty tried to finally master her cartwheel. It seemed strange to him how different it all was now. How it could never go back to the way it used to be.

* * *

It was also on a day like this, he recalled, a year or so ago, that Betty had called him unexpectedly in the middle of the night.

"So you're off helping your dad tomorrow. Out of town. All summer."

He could tell from his side that she sounded disappointed.

"I'll be back before you know it. No big deal. Dad really needs help down at the construction site and I couldn't say no" Archie pulled back his blinds and saw that Betty was already there, looking out towards him.

She smiled at him and gave him a little wave. Her hair was up in a ponytail and she was wearing her pajamas already. He gave her a small wave back.

"Still, it's going to feel like forever." She looked away as she said this, obviously flustered over her choice of words.

"Not forever. Only a summer" Archie said trying to assure her. "Besides, you must have a million better things to do than to hang around me all day." He laughed but he remembered feeling as though he was trying to push her away just a little. Not that he felt suffocated by her continuous presence per say, but rather he worried that she didn't have many other friends or interests outside from him and he was secretly hoping for the day she would confide him a secret crush of some sort. Sometimes he thought it was a shame Kevin was gay. They had really hit it off all those years ago.

"No not really. But I guess I lament all the wasted possibilities." She started to pace around her room and then suddenly without warning she closed the blinds hastily without looking at him.

"uh...Betty? You okay?"

"Ah yes. Arch?" Her breathing became irregular. Archie could tell she was nervous.

"When you come back, there something I wanting to talk about." Betty's voice was shaky but she seemed sure of herself, more sure than he ever remembered her sounding.

Maybe at that moment it registered slightly inside of Archie, but he tried not to take notice of it. Because acknowledging it brought upon him a very real fear of his.

Breaking her heart.

"Can't you just tell me know, Betts?" He laughed nervously.

"Ah. No. You gotta wait." She insisted.

"Okay, well, when I come back I got something to share with you too." For a while he had picked up an interest in music. He had written a few songs here and there but was too embarrassed to show anyone. But he knew, as he always knew, that he could trust Betty.

There was a deep silence. Surely her mind was racing, and now thinking on it, Archie mentally kicked himself. He always thought he was careful in not leading her on, but everytime he looked deeper into his memories maybe he had always had that window open for her. Whether he refused to close it out of fear, or otherwise, he never could figure out completely.

"Ok, Arch. I'll miss you." Her voice felt faint. That tone of voice she used when she said something coming from her heart.

"I'll miss you too Betts." And that he meant. He would always miss her if ever she was apart from him.

* * *

"Yeah, you're right Jug…" Archie said, coming out of his daze.

"Archikins!" Veronica long dainty arms wrapped around his neck suddenly. The smell of perfume, the clanking or pearls as she leaned in to kiss him on the cheek.

"Veronica." Jughead said emotionlessly.

"Jughead."

"V! What's up?" Archie piped up, trying to break the animosity. Ever since Veronica became the head of a the Welcome Southside committee. (or whatever it was called) Jughead and Veronica weren't on the best of terms.

"Nothing babe. I just wanted to find you. Ask if you wanted to get some milkshakes after school? Of course if Jughead wants to come, I'm not opposed."

"Wow, you're such an angel Veronica." Jughead quipped.

"I know right?I am amazed at myself sometimes." She snapped back.

"Ok. Okay guys. Let's…"

 _Betty._

He saw her from the corner of his eye, head low, books in hand, rushing past them hurriedly. Maybe she didn't even notice that they were there.

Archie stood up hastily and ran after her, "Betty! Betty wait!" He could hear Veronica and Jughead run on after him.

"Betty. Wait." He grabbed her by the elbow as quickly as he could without startling her.

She looked up at him, eyes wide and face looking gaunt. "Archie." She breathed out his name , her voice faint. Betty saw Veronica and Jughead follow closely behind Archie.

Suddenly Archie felt Betty push him to the side, eyebrow furrowed, eyes sharply turned downwards.

"What? What's wrong?" Betty asks indignantly

"Betty, I've been calling you. You haven't answered. I want to talk. I want to know how you've been. I'm worried" Archie looked over at Betty and noticed that she didn't look well. She looked like she wasn't getting much sleep. Had she lost weight? He breathed in sharply as he moved to put a hand on her shoulder and she coldly brushed him off.

"Is that it? Well, what can I say? I'm busy Archie. I still have aspirations for Ivy League. My mom wouldn't forgive me if I wasn't trying anymore. And my brother Chic just moved in, and my dad isn't exactly thrilled. It's not all about you Arch. Just give me some space." She bit her lip as Archie looked away. He felt foolish all of a sudden. A little boy in front of her, unable to help, unable to be there however much he wanted to.

"Come on Archie." Veronica said as she pulled at his arm. Veronica sent an emotionless look over at Betty and Jughead stood silent in the corner.

Betty took a deep breath, feeling her fingernails sink into her palm. Trying to fight back tears. Trying not say what was really on her mind, to cry out for help, to ask them to help her come back from the void she felt she was sinking into lately.

As she finally found the resolve to walk away, someone bumped into her unexpectedly. Her books feel to the floor and whoever it was who crashed into her, muttered a hasty apology.

"Sorry didn't see you there."

"See you there what? asshole?! Watch where you're going next time shithead." Betty shoved him as he stood there stunned.

"Betty, what's wrong with you. Calm down." Veronica interjected behind her.

"You stay out it. Stop trying to micromanage everything in my life, Veronica. Wasn't it enough, with Archie? Wasn't it enough kissing him behind closed doors, when you knew.."

Why was she bringing this up, now? Veronica lowered her gaze. "You were never my friend, were you?"

She went over to Veronica menacingly and there was a heavy silence. Finally Archie came in between them. "Betty, what's is this? What's wrong."

"Fuck you. All of you. Just leave me alone" She finally said as she picked up her books and marched out.

Archie first instinct was to run after her but knew that he couldn't leave Ronnie after what Betty had just said to her. He glanced over at Jughead who nodded his head and ran after Betty.

* * *

"Betty, wait hold up." Jughead called after her as she attempted to dart out of his sight. He finally managed to corner her inside a classroom and she exasperatedly tried her best to not look him in the eye. She seemed angry but tears were flowing out of her eyes.

"Betty what's going on. Are you okay?" Jughead reached out to hold her hand but she pulled back.

"No, I'm not. But I don't want or need your help right now." Betty said, as she tried to hold back sobs in the back of her throat, threatening to overpower her.

"Why not. I know we aren't together but that doesn't mean I don't care about you. I want to know you're okay."

Betty glared at Jughead and he felt ice, all the way down to the pit of his stomach.

"Why? If you cared, you wouldn't have left"

"I left...because I cared. Betty. You don't even know the half of it."

"Why?" She repeated again, this time without breaking eye contact.

"Because. You're still a part of me Betty Cooper. You always have been, you always will be."

Jughead moved in closer to her as he noticed the tears she was holding back flow out in full force.

"Jughead. You shouldn't care about me. Maybe Toni would be better for you." Jughead shook his head furiously but she continued without missing a beat.

"in the end, you were right about me."

"What are you talking about? Betty.."

"I kissed Archie. We kissed." Jughead stopped in his tracks and felt all emotion drain out of him.

" And I thought about it Jug. I thought about how I felt like maybe that night would be my last night. But instead of calling you, instead of trying to reach you... In the most primitive part of my heart…" she couldn't finish the sentence. Not when she saw heartbreak written all over Jughead's face.

"I'm sorry Jug. Please, don't come after me again. I'm not worth it"

She left him without waiting for an answer. She let the darkness overcome them, let the silence speak for itself.

* * *

Something's wrong. Archie thought as he noticed neither Jughead or Betty come back.

Veronica stood stoically beside him. She was looking out the window as he had done so earlier, lost in thought.

"Archie."

"Yeah, V."

"This is all my fault." Archie brought her in for a hug and kissed her forehead.

"No. How is this any of your fault?" He rubbed her shoulders gently.

"I told Betty. That I wanted her to stay away from you. To give you some space." She frowned as she saw Archie look over at her confused.

"What? Why would you.."

"Maybe I was jealous? Maybe I'm not as okay with the kiss like I was. I don't know. I know that I'm worried though. About Betty and about you. I thought space might do you both some good, I don't know."

Archie sighed as Veronica placed a palm on his cheek, looking into his eyes knowingly.

"I also know that it was foolish of me to ask that of both of you. Whether she believes me or not, she is my best friend. And she's yours. We care about her." She paused but then smiled softly and reassuringly. "Go talk to her. Be there for her, Archie. I trust you. And she needs you."

Archie kissed her palm and nodded.

"I'll try talking to her tonight. Thanks Ronnie."

* * *

He hung up the phone. He dialed maybe 7 times? He swore he could see a flicker of light behind her blinds. Felt in his bones that she was home. He looked over at her window and hoped that she would open them for him, so he could see that she was okay. But more than that, he wished that she would give him a small smile and laugh silently, her eyes bright and her smile warm. Just like before.

When Ronnie and him had broken up, after FP's party, he remembered feeling the same thing as he glanced over at Betty. Would it be fair to confide in her his heartbreak, or would that be another cruel blow to her heart? But she looked so different then, not the little girl who held his secrets or his shy confessions or his insecurities. Her eyes weren't the same bright eyes of the girl next door, they were the fierce and strong eyes of a woman he had never been able to picture clearly.

If he pictured her in his head, she remained blurry, her edges soft and almost invisible.

But when he thought back at when they kissed, he could imagine her part of her in striking clarity.

Green eyes. Blonde hair.

Soft hands, dark crevices, and smooth fingers, that strong lavender scent. It was no good comparing Veronica's lips with Betty's but the difference was stark.

He ran his hands through his hair and he looked over at Betty's window again.

Making up his mind, he grabbed his jacket and headed outside.

* * *

Betty heard a knock at her window.

Her heart leaped out of her chest for a moment. "Jughead?" She whispered silently as she raised her blinds hastily. It was Archie, his eyes barely visible in the dark.

"Arch?" What are you doing here?" She held her breath and felt something wash over her.

She opened up the window and Archie looked up at her unapologetically.

"Can I come in? No. I'm coming in. We need to talk."

"About what?"

"Everything, Betty."

"What's the point?" Betty said as she placed a hand on her chest, feeling her heartbeat beat gently. She was nervous but her body was calm. Maybe this was a long time coming?

"There doesn't have to be a point... Maybe the point is us?" He climbed over the windowsill and closed it behind him. The lights were off. There was nothing around them but still air.

"I don't know why I do this to myself." She whispered. She pushed her hair behind her ears and looked at him expectantly.

"Where do we even start?"

"From the beginning, don't you think?"


	4. Chapter 4

Betty remembered the first time she bought a lace bra. It was pink, with a little bow in the middle. It was expensive but she had put away some money from her babysitting jobs just for it. She even splurged on a matching underwear set. Of course her mom didn't know, she was still buying Betty undergarnments from the pre-teen section at Target. But Betty was 16 now. She wasn't a little girl anymore, and as of last summer she noticed her body going through all the right changes to show it. Betty came home from the mall, hiding her pink VS bag under her jacket and zipped upstairs before anyone noticed. She locked the door behind her and let out a sigh of relief.

Excitedly but hesitant, she opened the bag with quiet fingers and took out her secret purchase. She ran her fingertips over the lace, over the small black bow in the middle, noticed how soft the inside of the cup was. She hastily took off her top and tried it on.

As she approached the mirror, Betty stared intently at her reflection. Noticed every new curve, ever patch of visible skin.

At last, she felt uncomfortable. Disappointment washed over her and then shame. Betty forced herself to look again. She wondered what Archie would say if he saw her the way she was seeing herself now. Before the thought took over, she shook her head and changed quickly back into her clothes.

She threw the bra into a random drawer and collapsed on her bed.

The sun was just about to set. Archie was out of town all summer to help his dad at a construction site. She occasionally hung out with Kevin but other than that she spent hours at home, studying or else volunteering her hours away to up her college resumes.

She wondered what Archie was doing.

She ran a finger down her arm, imagining what it would feel like if he saw her in a matching set of pink lingerie. Would he notice her then?

For the last year and a half it was almost unbearable being near Archie. Her body felt nervous, hot, and tense all at once, butterflies in her stomach but maybe more like bees, heart ready to stop without notice.  
He was different now too. He was finally taller than her for once. His facial features were no longer those of a young boy. Neither was his body, as training on the football team was doing wonders for his physique.  
Betty smiled to herself as she recalled times she would peak at her window after sunset, noticing Archie get ready for bed. Just as he was about to take off his shirt, she would close the blinds rapidly before he could notice, couldn't bear to sneak a peek without him knowing. She hoped that one day he would allow her to see him in that way as much as she yearned for him to see her in that way.

Or maybe, even just see her. She felt invisible. Just a shadow, only a silhouette or a projection of the girl he grew up with. Betty felt often times that he was fighting tooth and nail to protect that image of her. Wouldn't allow anything to tarnish the memory of his childhood best friend.

When she felt cheeky, and when they had arranged to meet each other for milkshakes at pop's, she would doll up as best as she could. She'd let her hair down, add some extra mascara, a darker lipstick. Maybe some eyeliner. But her mom would send her right back upstairs to fix herself.

"Oh nuh uh uh, my daughter is not going to go out looking like a common girl off the streets. Go fix yourself or you are not going out."

It didn't seem fair really. She wasn't ugly, she thought as she would look in the mirror. Yet no one ever seemed to notice her, _in that way_. She wanted so much to please everyone, to be as 'perfect' as possible for everyone around her.

So that when the time was right, Archie wouldn't have any reason to reject her. She had always been by his side. Always been there to help him, to support him. Her grades were good and she was generally well liked by everyone. Even her mom couldn't give her any grief over it.

And yet it almost made her blood boil when Veronica came into town.

 _It simply wasn't fair._

She was the stereotypical mean girl. Her father was in jail. Yet she oozed that one thing Betty could never quite see in herself. And she wasn't blind as she noticed Archie look over at Veronica in the same way that she had imagined him looking at her, wearing her pink lacy underwear in front of the mirror.

And Veronica didn't even have to try.

Even when Betty had tried, so hard, all those years. To be beyond reproach, to be absolutely perfect. But really she felt she had no choice. Somewhere deep inside she felt as if she had to be perfect, or else no one would want her otherwise.

* * *

When she walked out of her house to meet Archie at the front steps of her lawn, she could feel just how cold the wind was around her. She wrapped her cardigan tighter against herself but realized she was still shaking. Perhaps it was something in her heart that felt so cold and unbearable.

Archie looked over at her pleadingly.

 _I knew this day would come but I never wanted it to-_ Archie thought as he climbed up two steps to meet her. She had been crying, he could tell by the redness around her nose and in her eyes. If she was as hurt as she looked, then Archie would never forgive himself.

 _I imagined this day much more differently-_ Betty thought as she tried to find the words to say. She found them in her 8 year old heart, when she would go over to Archie's house to tutor him in math.

She found them in her 13 year old self, when they would lay down on the grass and she would look over at him and hope that nothing about them would ever change.

She found the words in her 15 year old self, as she looked over at Archie longingly on the other side of that pop's booth, hoping he would reach out to hold her hand…

Betty found the words, "Arch, I need you to tell me right now, do you love me? Or even just like me?" She felt the hot tears flow out of her eyes, and she knew before she even finished her sentence what his answer would be.  
"You're too perfect. I will never be good enough for you."

 _It wasn't fair._ They both thought.

 _I was everything I could be but that was too much. What could I ever be to be enough for you? Enough for anyone?_

 _Why couldn't I be what you wanted? Why did I have to hurt you? I tried so hard to protect you and ended up being the person who hurt you most._

When Archie left, Betty let the tears fall angrily. She sucked in a breath and felt heartbreak for the first time. It was always there, a dull ache in her heart, but she never allowed herself to feel it because she always had hope. She dug her nails into her skin, felt the pain and hoped that it could help it hurt less. As she felt herself bleed, she imagined Veronica and Archie together in that closet at Cheryl's. Imagined them kiss and touch, could picture them smiling and pressing their bodies close to one another. As she opened her palms, she felt her hands sting but it didn't hurt. Nothing could ever hurt as much.

* * *

The lights were off. Archie moved to turn them on but Betty shook her head silently, covering the light switch with the palm of her hand. Archie sighed and sat down at the edge of the bed, his figure only visible in the light coming from Betty's window.

"Betty" he said gently, grabbing her hand softly and pulling her to sit down next to him. Betty could feel tears at the bottom of her throat so she sat next him with some distance, afraid of getting too close.

He noticed this and brought her in for a hug. Betty was tense, but he held her as he meant to hold her for as long as he remembered. He never knew when the time was right, when he could without hurting her any more than he already had. He could feel her body relax and her breathing become shallow. As the silence between them intensified he could hear tiny sobs, and could feel her body shake between them. He said nothing as he held her, making small circles with his thumb on the small of her back, stroking the back of her hair as she let out what she needed to let out.

"It's...just...too...much" he heard her say. She sank her hands into his back, clawing for comfort and he held her closer, "What's too much Betty?" he whispered.

Betty's sobs had stopped but she remained silent, burying her face into Archie's jacket.

It smelled like wet grass. The smell registered within her and she slowly pulled away from him.

"Everything. I feel like my family is falling apart. My friendships. Us, Archie. We haven't even talked since…" she took small pause, "we found the Black Hood."

"I know. I just thought you needed some space. I needed to figure out some stuff on my end. It was hard time. For both of us I think." Archie said, trying to make out Betty's expression in the dark. "Veronica told me that she talked to you. Betty, I want you know that I had nothing to do with that okay?"

Betty's lip quivered as she nodded her head and wiped her eyes with the hem of her sleeve.

She took another deep breath. "I thought you wanted nothing to do with me and it was hurting me."

"No. No of course not, never. Betty, I need you in my life." Archie searched for her hands in the dark and took them in his. "It wouldn't make sense if you weren't in it"

Betty shook her head in protest. "Jughead didn't need me, and it bothered me. It did. When we broke up, and when we saw him with Toni at Pop's, I just pushed it all down. Arch, I don't feel like I'm good enough, for anyone."

"What? No. No. You're more than enough Betts, your…"

"Perfect?" Betty cut him off with a painful laugh. She saw Archie's concerned eyes, but the rest of him was blurry and out of sight. She felt like she was in a twilight zone. As if nothing she said in this space could ever be held against her because it wasn't real.

"Arch, I don't want to be perfect. I just want to be me. Isn't that enough? Can you accept me, if I'm just me?"

"Of course." Archie answered in a small voice.

She knew it would be hard for him to see, but she took his hand and guided it across her palm. She could feel Archie tense up. Betty was nervous. Would he think she was crazy? Would he suddenly see her and leave, like she was afraid he would do if he really knew...how she had felt inside all her life?

"Betty…" he said as it finally registered. He grasped her hand and brought it to the sliver of light falling on the bedside from the open window. He could make out her scars, bright red and fresh, scattered across her hand like crescents moons in the sky. The looked at each other for a moment and it hurt Betty's heart to see Archie's face show so much concern and shock and maybe anger.

"Sometimes, Arch, I don't know what to do, so I just...oh." She let out, surprised as Archie brought her palm to his lips and kissed it tenderly. Jughead had done the same thing, she recalled. But when Archie did it, there was infinite sadness. Hurt. Gentleness.

"I'm sorry I've hurt you Betts. I'm sorry if you ever felt like you needed to hurt yourself because of me." He whispered in her hands. She felt his tears, warm, on tips of her fingers.

"Arch. No. This isn't you." She lifted his face up to meet her, hands on the side of his face. She looked into his soft brown eyes as she said, "I've always believed in goodness. That there is something good at the end of anything dark and scary. But, when things started to crumble around me, you were still there, you've always been the stable good in my life Archie." Tears rolled down her face and she gently pulled her hands away from Archie.

"But I still let you down." Archie protested. "In that car. When we kissed. I should have talked to you about it. But my mind was racing. I was so confused."

Archie continued hesitantly. "Maybe we should talk about that now Betty."

Betty shifted uncorfortambly as she looked away from him.

"Did it mean anything?"

Betty felt like she was silent for forever but she finally answered. There was no point hiding anything or pushing anything to the side anymore.

"Yeah." She whispered.

Archie remained still, silent, unmoving.

Hesitantly Betty reached out towards Archie and put her palm against his face. His skin was cool against her hand.

"I felt relieved Arch. A part of me, has always wanted to kiss you. Like that. And I thought, if I died tonight, what would be something I would regret not having done and kissing you was the first thought I had. And I'm sorry. I'm sorry it had to be like that." Betty couldn't hold back her tears as she asked him, afraid of his answer, afraid of her heart breaking more than it already was, "What about you? Did it mean anything to you?"

There was only silence. And gentle breathing. Archie was there in her room, but was he really there? Or was she still missing him

-unable to establish a connection?

She couldn't take the silence any longer. "Archie, would you lie to me? Could you tell me it meant something? Please don't tell me it meant nothing." Her voice was breaking, and she felt small. Like she had always felt in his presence, like she felt under the sky they gazed under when they were younger.

Archie felt the smooth touch of Betty's hand on his face. He followed the curves of her mouth and registered the way she smelled and the tone of her voice, and imagined if they were gone from his life. But it couldn't ever be his life if it didn't have Betty Cooper in it. Two people with such a strong connection as they had could never be kept apart, even if they died. Even if they had never met. Somehow there would always be a need, a missing piece of a puzzle or a yearning one can never quite satisfy.

"Betty."

"No..don't…"

"Betty. I'm not lying. It meant something. I felt something. And no, you're not crazy and I'm not crazy. Kissing you.." He began kissing Betty's hands again, her fingers, her scars, her palms…

"Kissing you in that moment was the most natural thing in the world. It made sense to me. It was scary how much it made sense. But Betty, we've been each others since we were little, why wouldn't it make sense?" Archie looked into Betty's eyes and saw her tears roll down her lips and his eyes lingered there for a second before he continued, "I never wanted to not be with you, as much as I knew being with you in any other way would never be the same. When you broke you with Jug, and when I broke up with Ronnie, we could't be in the same room with them- but you and I, we talk about everything. I was afraid we couldn't be that way again if something happened between us."

Betty felt heavy and she didn't know whether she could believe him, whether he was just saying this to appease her or to spare her any more grief.

"I'm sorry Betts. I'm so sorry I couldn't be what you needed me to be." Archie whispered, feeling Betty move away from him and pull her hands out of his. He felt his own tears spill over, hot and shameful.

Betty finally spoke, in a gentle but firm voice, "Did you ever love me...like that? Could you ever? Even just a little?" She looked away from him as Archie tried to move closer to her.

"Betts. I love you. Why can't that be enough?"

"Did you ever think I was enough Archie?"

He was afraid of saying anything else. Archie didn't know how he felt, of course he always felt like Betty was enough for him. But was he ever enough for her? He was still with Ronnie of course, so he knew he had to be careful with his words. He felt his body shaking because he feared he already let out too much.

Carefully he moved over to Betty and held her as best as he could, even when she resisted and tried to push him away.

"Hey. What happened in that car, it was special to me. And it was special because it was with you, Betty Cooper"

He wiped away her tears and heard her sigh in relief. "I'd get myself buried alive for you, you know that." Even though he could tell she was fighting to do so, Betty let out a small smile. He smiled back at her, feeling like a weight had been lifted off of his shoulders.

Betty gazed intensely at Archie before asking, this time her voice shaking, "Can you kiss me Archie? Can we pretend that it's just us two? There is no Veronica and no Jughead. It's only me. It's only you. And it we believed that it would be that way forever. Like when we were kids?"

Betty wasn't crying anymore, Archie could tell she was serious and he took her request and it felt the weight of it heavy in his heart.

"Do you really want me to kiss you Betty?" he asked as felt himself lean in, wondering if he would even wait for an answer.

"Yeah. And you? Do you want to kiss me?" She was holding her breath.

"Yeah. I do" Archie said without thinking. Maybe it was better not to think for a second, maybe they had been overthinking when really only feeling it as it came and passed would be of any help.

There was electricity in the air, pure and simple. There seemed to be a million miles between their lips and he felt himself drift in the memory of when they kissed last. Her soft lips, her smell, her hands. He felt them now, entwined in his hair- he could only breathe in that lavender smell. He realized his hands were somewhere near her thighs, another hand guided them to warm flesh underneath, lace under his fingertips. He could hear her sighs between mouthfuls of air, hear her bed creak as he pushed her deeper into her mattress. His lips could feel the softness of her lips against his, and then the soft crevice of her neck as he pulled her closer.

He opened his eyes. Betty was looking at him expectantly. They hadn't even kissed yet, he had started to lean in but had paused and just gazed into Betty's eyes for one split and terrible moment.

"No. I can't kiss you Betty. I know you're still not with Jug but I'm with Ronnie. It isn't right, you know it isn't." He turned on the light in her room. As the room filled with the bright light of her beside lamp, Archie saw Betty's eyes had welled up with tears again.

Without a word Archie motioned to leave.

"Archie, could you at least stay until I fall asleep?" she tried not to sound like she was pleading but she was afraid her face would give away what she really felt.

Archie took a moment but shook his head. "I don't think that's a good idea. I'll call you in the morning, I promise."

He left. But she could still feel his presence in the room with her, under her skin and under her half closed eye-lids.


	5. Chapter 5

Sometime around 6:30, Betty's phone rang with a message from Archie.

"I can walk you to school if you'd like." it read. Even after she read his words, she gazed at the phone blankly, wondering if it was best if she just continued to avoid him or if pretending that she was fine after yesterday would make it all go away somehow. But she was sick of pretending, and at this point she knew it wouldn't do anyone any good.

"Okay, walk me to school." she typed quickly, taking a sharp breath and resting her phone on her lower lip. She closed her eyes, counted to 10 and headed out the door.

* * *

"Betty" breathed out Archie as she walked out her front door. He stepped forward to her, stopping in his tracks as he gauged her expression and her body language, not wanting to upset her.

"Hey." Betty made out with a small smile, noticing his hesitation. Archie returned her smile and together they started walking down the road, both not saying a word. After a minute, Archie broke the silence.

"I'm sorry for leaving yesterday" he said.

"Don't be." Betty interjected bluntly, "I'm sorry for asking you to stay."

Archie seemed hurt by her words as he furrowed his eyebrows and stopped abruptly in his tracks.

"Betty no, I should have stayed. I…"

"No, you're with Veronica. I'm sorry I keep being an awful friend to you both.I'm asking things from everyone that I shouldn't be asking. let's just go to school and forget this whole thing ever happened. I'm sure after a while everything will go back to being the way it was, you with Veronica and me…"

"With Jughead?" Archie finished her sentence and she shrugged, looking away and continuing down the street.

"Does it matter?" Betty looked over to Archie, his eyes focused downward on the pavement.

"I don't know." He said after a moment. Betty nodded and the silence descended on them once more and they arrived to campus. Suddenly everything so alive and chaotic, a sharp contrast to the stillness that grew between the two as the entered the school together.

* * *

Last night, when Archie climbed back into his window after talking to Betty, he lay on his bed for about an hour after, imagining what would have happened if he had stayed. If he had kissed her like she wanted him to. He tried to be honest himself but he couldn't stomach the thought of how easy it would have been to break Veronica's trust, how easy it would have been to let himself go in the moment. Would it have stopped at a kiss? Would he have let himself go farther? Did he want to go farther? Did he honestly want to be with Betty in that way?

He took a deep breath but it shook and his skin was hot. He looked over at her window and wondered if she was asleep yet, if the talk had done any good or if it had hurt her more.

On his end, he felt that it had failed to really resolve anything but rather opened up more questions and raise more doubts than before. Maybe that's why he was always so afraid of bringing it up. It would just spill all over and make a mess on all of them.

* * *

Veronica caught them coming in together not long after they had arrived. Betty could tell she looked unnerved but she came over to her and gave her a soft smile. "Hey girlie. I hope you're doing okay"

Betty sighed unintentionally and looked over at Archie who was nodding solemnly at Veronica. The air was stifling.

"I'm fine Veronica." after a moment, "I'll leave you two alone now. " Betty didn't mean to have that come out so coldly but she didn't feel bad when Veronica looked at her confused and hurt.

"Hey Betty I'm sorry, I should have never told you to leave Archie alone, I was just…" she began.

"It's fine Veronica" Betty stopped her mid-sentence. "You weren't wrong. Maybe we do need some space. To figure it all out. I'm sorry I'm such a mess. I'm only making it confusing for everyone, when it doesn't have to be…"

"Betty.." Archie whispered putting a hand on her shoulder.

"I got to get to class." Betty gripped the straps on her backpack a little tighter and left without saying a word.

Archie sighed as soon as she was out of sight.

"So talking to her didn't go as planned?" Veronica said softly.

"Not entirely. Maybe it might have made it a little worst. But I don't know." Archie rubbed his neck and looked over at Veronica, a small dent on her forehead as she thought.

"I talked to Jughead last night." Veronica said suddenly.

"Oh? About Betty?"

"Yeah, about what happened yesterday in the hallway. When he went to go run after her, and what she said about the kiss…" she stopped suddenly as if she had lost her words, unsure if they were the right ones to say in that moment.

"What did he say?" Archie looked at Veronica intently but she lowered her head and grabbed his hand and kissed it gently. "We'll be there for her. If she needs us we will be right here."

* * *

"Jughead can I talk to you?" She said as she stood outside of his trailer, freezing in her faux fur coat and high heels. Jughead looked over at her with first a puzzled look and then soon a look of contempt as he looked her up and down.

"Well well well." he began with a smirk, "What brings Riverdale's own princess out to the no good netherlands of Riverdale, at this hour nonetheless" He seemed amused at how uncomfortable Veronica seemed out in the cold, her shoulders shivering.

"I need your help" She mumbled.

"Oh. What's that? You need MY help? A moment of silence everyone! Rest in peace Veronica Lodge's pride, which she must of horrendously murdered on her way here to ask me for help." He said theatrically and with a bitter laugh.

"Oh shut the fuck up Forsythe. Let me in" she snapped as she pushed through him into his living room.

"Ok, what's this all about?" Jughead sighed in defeat as he fell hard on his couch, arms outstretched flippantly and his legs spawled wide.

"I want to talk about Betty." Veronica said without beating around the bush.

"Of course you do." Jughead said rolling his eyes. "What about her?"

"What about her? Today in the hall. She just lost it. You went after her and never came back. What's with that." Veronica took a seat in a nearby stool and looked over at Jughead expectantly.

He sat deep in thought for a while. Veronica didn't want to push him but she cleared her throat to catch his attention and express her urgency.

"She's upset. There's a lot going on right now…" he said at last.

"That's it? Did she mention why she's so upset. Did she mention...Archie?" she asked tentatively and with good reason, Jughead's expression fell dark as the mention of his name.

He sat silent again but then said, with an edge to his voice, "oh, isn't it alway about Archie?"

Veronica stayed silent this time around.

"Now that I think about it, and the more I think about it, the more fucked up it seems. The way you came along and just messed everything for Betty up."

"What the fuck Jug…"

"No listen. Those two would have figured it out a lot sooner if you could have just stayed away from Archie long enough to let them find out…"

"Listen, I didn't just come in to ruin Betty's life, it just happened and it wasn't my fault that Archie didn't love her back." Veronica blurted out as she glared at Jughead who just shook his head violently.

"No, don't give me that. You know Archie isn't the sharpest tool in the toolbox especially about what he wants and what he feels. I've been their friend all my life, and you, you just come in and think you know Betty and Archie better than I do? How do you know Archie didn't love her?"

"Wait, why are you angry with me. Don't you love Betty? Aren't you glad you had the chance to be with her?" Veronica said angrily and she tried to suppress her tears.

He looked over to her, obviously bothered and angry at her and shook his head unbelievingly, "Of course I love her. And it's hurt me all these years that I wasn't her first choice. I wanted her to choose me because she wanted to be with me. Not because Archie wasn't a choice anymore. Not because I was just a rebound to heal whatever wound YOU left behind but coming in and fucking everything up. You and your family." he added scornfully.

"That wasn't me, that was Archie's choice. Archie chose to be with me" she said, letting the tears spill out hot and heavy.

Jughead scoffed. "He also chose to kiss Betty the second you two broke up."

"That didn't mean anything to him." Veronica stuttered out curtly.

"You're really trying to tell yourself that? That that kiss didn't mean anything to him?" Jughead spat out as he stood up and walked over to her. "Doesn't it matter to you? Doesn't it hurt you? To know your best friends kissed behind your back, and are trying to lie to you about it not meaning anything." Jughead stood inches from her, standing over her with cold and threatening eyes. "It meant something to Betty. And even if you believe it doesn't to Archie, it should still hurt you to know your best friend does. That she could never stopped loving the boy she loved all her life, before you came in and made her give all that up. Without letting her find out on her own, without letting Archie figure it out or let her down gently." Veronica let herself cry, even if it was in front of Jughead, because something inside her registered that he was right.

"They are my best friends, and I've known them all my life. And I love Betty. But I want her to love me completely, and not in bits and pieces. I'm sure you want that with Archie."

Veronica wiped her tears and finally met Jughead in the eyes and glared at him fiercely.

"It was just a stupid kiss."

Jughead shook his head again and backed away from her.

"Oh Veronica. Believe what you want. I'm not sure what you came here to talk to me about, if that was it. If you wanted to confirm that that kiss didn't mean anything to Betty, well I'm sorry to break it to you. But it did. And I'm going to give her space to figure that out and if she comes back, I'll be waiting. Because then I know she chose me."

"And you? What are you going to do? Are you going to continue to keep Archie wrapped around your little finger, like your father does with this town?" His smirk came back, relishing in his biting words and her solemn expression.

"You're right." she said finally, composing yourself and standing a little taller, "I should have known better than to come to talk to you about this. Maybe I thought, that after everything, me and you were still friends."

Jughead had no snark reply this time around but surprisingly his face softened and he said in a hushed tone, "we are. Which is why I tell you the truth. Do with it what you will"

Veronica left his trailer soon after, getting inside the car and fixing her eye makeup and her chauffeur drove her home. Archie must be talking to Betty right about now, she thought. She knew she could trust him, but suddenly she felt sick to her stomach.

* * *

Archie waited for Betty to come out of class and grabbed her by the arm.

"Hey Archie, what?" she said as she yanked her arm out of his.

"Sorry. This morning. I'm sorry it wasn't good, and I can still tell your still upset. And I honestly I hate it and can't stand it. I want it to be okay again. I want us to be okay again. I want to you to be okay again."

"We all want a lot of things." Betty said and made to walk away but Archie followed her quickly.

"Don't care so 'll blow over, just like the first time." Betty said flippantly.

"I don't want to repeat that again. I don't want you to go through anymore hurt because of me again. I don't want to stand by and do nothing about it again…"

"Arch, what about what I want here? Does that matter?" She said accusingly and she tried to stay out of the way despite Archie constantly stopping her every other few steps .

"What do you want then Betty?" Archie said pleadingly.

She sighed and gave in, "I just want my best friend back, Arch."

He looked down at his shoes as back at her, "You still have him."

"Do I?"

"Of course you do, but you can't make me choose. Not between you and Veronica, if that's what you want."

Betty sighed and pulled him into an empty classroom. The music room.

The hair was still and quiet and she let her eyes meet up with his.

"You were mine first." She said quietly.

"I'm still yours first." Archie answered. Betty shook her head. Archie took her hands into his and looked into her eyes intently. "This kiss. There is nothing we can do anymore. But forget. Maybe it's brought out feelings we can't know for sure what they are, but we can't let it destroy us and the relationships we have now. Your friendship means everything to me…." Betty yanked her arms away and just shook her indignantly.

"Why do you keep accosting me to tell me the same thing over and over? I get it. But I can't just smile and pretend I'm okay, like I did the first time. It's getting old too quick." She motioned to leave but Archie held her back.

"Don't you think I want to kiss you Betty?" He said finally. "That I don't wonder every night if I made a mistake? If somehow I've ruined everything for us? If it's not really you and me that should be together, right now?"

Betty gave him no time to think and pressed her lips onto his. He reacted instantly, reciprocating the kiss and running the length of his arms down her back. They kissed for one minute, two, then they broke for air, coming back a second time and continuing. He pressed her back again the blackboard, pressing his body against hers as her hands came down from his neck and then to his chest. Then she pushed him off.

"There. You kissed me back twice. Figure out what that means Archie. Maybe by now you should know. And if it doesn't mean anything, then let's stop bringing it up. Go back to being happy with Veronica. And I'll, with time, go back to being happy for you two." She straightened her blouse and pulled at her ponytail. "But if it did...then...do what you need to do."

She gave him a sad smile and walked out of the classroom.

Archie stood dazed for a moment and walked out, feeling something shift from underneath his feet.


	6. Chapter 6

He wondered if he should run after her. He wondered if was better to not run after her. Of course he couldn't just stand there, although the next best course of action eluded him completely. Archie's lips still felt warm, he covered his mouth slightly with his palm and felt sudden waves of guilt and regret wash over him. Veronica trusted him to be better than this, trusted that his love for her was complete, undivided, wholeheartedly hers. But when Betty kissed him, not just then but back in the car, even back when she had simply asked him to kiss her in her dimly lit bedroom, he had begun to notice how easy it was to be swayed into Betty's eyes. Her whole body was like a dense point of gravitational energy, drawing him closer until his mind went blank and he was sucked in completely. Betty was right, he had to do something. After so many years of trying to avoid this exact situation, he had no clue where he should begin although he knew what he should do next wouldn't be easy. He had to talk to Veronica.

* * *

Betty dived out of the classroom, fingers resting on her open mouth, heart racing, a small smile forming on her lips. She couldn't believe what she had just done, the accusations she had thrown, the ultimatum she had laid on the table. He had warned her he wouldn't choose but she made it clear that there was no other way, he had to choose or he would lose her forever. Betty knew nothing could go back to the way it was before because the door had finally been let open and all the bottled up feelings which lay dormant were now flooding any space between them; threatening to drown them once and for all. He wondered what he would do, what she would do. She stood up a little straighter, she never thought she had the courage to lay it all out how it is, expose herself to Archie in such a vulnerable way. It took being in the face of death to realize she had nothing to lose. Her triumph in the classroom brought about a warm feeling in her stomach, a lightness that she couldn't quite suppress, finally free from a burden she had held on her shoulders for years. And yet a small fear crept somewhere in the back of her mind. What if Archie didn't choose her? What if he was okay with letting her go? What if his relationship with Veronica meant more to him than their lifetime together? Nothing could hurt as much.

* * *

Veronica had not seen Archie for a while. She waited in the students lounge, feeling hopeful each time she spotted a blue and gold letter jacket but soon disappointed when she realized it wasn't him. He had gone after Betty. She felt nervous. Veronica tried to reassure herself, if he had gone after her then they were probably just working things out. They were probably sitting in a classroom, across from each other, delegating and arguing and compromising. Betty was pulling at her ponytail and Archie was trying his best to get through to her, placing a hand on hers trying to let her down easy, trying not to hurt her. But suddenly Veronica imagined Betty taking his hand and pulling her towards him, kissing him with unsuppressed hunger and Archie giving in, kissing her back, kissing her as if…she closed her eyes and shook her head.

Veronica trusted Archie. It happened once under a special circumstance, it wouldn't happen again. Jughead's voice floated into her mind. _"Are you really sure it wouldn't happen again?"_ She tried to shake that plebeians voice out of her head.

"Could you maybe move out of the way? You're blocking the machines"

Ah. It actually was Jughead. Had she conjured him with her mind?

Veronica gave him a cold look before stepping aside. She hadn't moved from that spot for almost half an hour. She sighed. He glanced at her sideways as he dropped the coins into the machine, pressing the buttons without looking. "What's wrong with you?" he asked with a tone that suggested he didn't care what the answer was.

"Does it look like there's something wrong with me?" she answered bitingly. Half of it was meant as a cutting remark, but for the most part she was asking him sincerely. Did it look like something was wrong?

He seemed to pick up on that hint of insecurity. "No, you just look tired. Tense." Veronica noticed he had dropped a small layer of hostility, his expression softened and he turned to face her directly. Veronica felt her throat tighten, like it does when you want to cry but you're trying not to but you knew that with one word it would all come out against your will. "I'm fine" she croaked. Ah here it comes, she thought. The image of Betty and Archie still in her head she felt all the tears that she meant to keep hidden away rush out of her, and now she was a running faucet with two broken knobs and no way of stopping. Jughead seemed taken aback at first and did nothing as she sobbed. She was trying to contain her high and squeaky breaths but she was sure that others were starting to stare.

"Come on…" Jughead said eventually and took her hand and pulled her out of the lounge into the hallway. She wasn't sure where she was taking her and for a moment Veronica felt like yanking her arm out of his grasp, stopping him dead in his tracks and telling him to piss off. But she felt so vulnerable in that moment and deep down she knew that if anyone understood what she was feeling it would be him. He too must be imagining what she was imagining herself in her mind, their two best friends turning away from them and finding each other in the dark.

"Where are we going?" Veronica finally said as she wiped away her tears with a silk handkerchief she had pulled out of her purse with her free hand.

"Somewhere quiet. We can talk there." Ah that slight downwards intonation, a lowering of the voice, a gentle tone. He sounded like a friend, almost caring even. She realized that he was still holding her hand. Instead of yanking it out she gently let go.

"Okay, lead the way" she said, standing a bit straighter and adjusting her shirt. Her lifted her chin and took a deep breath, fighting off any remaining tears. Jughead smirked at this and Veronica gave him a hint of a smile.

* * *

Archie didn't find Veronica in the student's lounge after school. Actually he didn't find her anywhere, even after looking for quite some time. Maybe she had gone home, he thought, as he finally headed to his own house. He felt a bit relieved at not being able to find her, it gave him more time to think about what he was going to tell her. _Hey, so remember that kiss with Betty, I said it didn't mean anything to me. Well, it turns out that it kind of did mean something to me...maybe even a lot to me..._ but just imagining saying that to Veronica and then conjuring the betrayed expression she would give him in his mind sent his heart racing.

As soon as Archie reached his house, he sprinted into his room and collapsed on his bed. The sun sun was just beginning to set, lighting his room in twilight colors of gold and orange. He gave a small glance of a picture of Veronica lying next to his bed on his dresser and then next to it, the one of him and Betty smiling at her birthday party. He got up and grabbed it and stared at it blankly. They looked so young and he scoffed at the thought because give or take, they were still so young now. Archie looked out the window, which had the blinds pulled back, out onto Betty's house. She was home and sitting on her bed, seemingly lost in thought. He wondered if he should go over, but hesitated. She looked up for a second and looked out to him, suddenly aware of his gaze on her. She stood up from her bed and walked over to the window but as she did so, Archie closed his blinds and she was gone from sight.


End file.
